Acclimatization Explained

Acclimatization Explained

Before starting the installation:

Underfloor heating:

Our Engineered floor boards need to be brought into the room where they will be installed after the 21 day initial running period, and exposed to the climatic conditions. Moisture levels should be checked by a certified floor fitter before installation.

The acclimatisation for new solid boards will comprise of:

• Storing the boards for at least 14 days.
• The boards should be laid flat at least 300mm from the nearest wall.
• There must be some battens under the bottom layers so that air can circulate.
• All wet trades must have finished and screeds dry with moisture levels below 4% and humidity below 55 %.
• Plaster must be totally dry.
• Floor and wall tiles have been installed for at least 2 weeks.
• Radiators have been bled with any leaks rectified.
• All windows and doors are fully fixed.
• All painting is completed.
• The room temperature must be at least 18 degrees C. The floor surface temperature must be a minimum of 15 degrees C. The air relative humidity must be between 40% and 65%.

You must test the relative humidity of the environment the floor is to be laid in and also the moisture content of any sub floor or screed must be less than 4%.

Before fitting: Subfloors:

TYPES:

Sub-Floors can fall into 3 main categories:

• Concrete or screed: Ensuring that your concrete or screed floor is dry is crucial to the process of laying a new floor. According to British Standards, the screed must be allowed to dry to a maximum of 75% relative humidity before installation takes place. A drill test wherein a small hole is drilled into the concrete to test the moisture level is preferred over a surface test, which does not give as accurate a reading.
•  Wooden: floor boards, ply or chip board: When laying onto existing floorboards, chip or ply board first remove any rotten floorboards and replace prior to installation of the new floor. A moisture test using a hygrometer on the wooden sub floor should be within 4% of your hardwood flooring to avoid any over expansion or contraction.

** Existing Parquet flooring is not a suitable sub floor for any hardwood flooring and should be lifted prior to fitting the new floor.

• Floor joists or battens: The distances between the joists or battens will determine the amount of fixings that can be used as you can only nail where there is a joist. Solid floors must be fixed every 250mm – 300mm and 20mm engineered floors every 400mm.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Check the sub floor to ensure it is clean and free of any dirt, paint, grease or glue residue that may affect adhesion.
• Make sure sub floor is level. The easiest way to ensure the floor is level is consult a fitter.
• Make sure sub floor is dry. This is essential when laying new or reclaimed wood.
• Using a moisture meter is the most accurate method.

Tip:

If you have a small amount of wastage left after fitting the floor keep a few spare planks in case of any future damage. Our bespoke colours are impossible to replicate and trying to match or blend in other wood in the event of extreme damage will be considerably contrasted.

Tip:

When protecting your newly laid floor during the remainder of the construction process never use plastic to cover the floor, this will trap moisture, which could affect the floor. Instead a good quality felt covering can be laid and tacked to the skirting boards to allow the floor to breath.